Chapter 778: 1 + 1 \> 2

While passing through the living room, Klein's spiritual perception was

triggered. He felt that there was an invisible gaze scanning him from an

unknown location.

He feigned ignorance as he entered the activity room ahead. He surveyed

the area and found a spot that wasn't too far or close to the host's

seat.

And at the moment he passed through the activity room's door, all the

attention on him vanished.

*If not for the Wraith having three seals to isolate it, it probably

would've been noticed... Mr. X doesn't appear to be as bold and crazy as

he seems...* Klein sat down and moved his hood, hiding his face

deeper in the shadows.

After about ten minutes, when most of the members had arrived, a brass

mask-wearing Mr. X appeared by the door without causing a commotion. He

walked in and headed towards his seat.

He was dressed in a black classical robe with a pointed mage hat. As he

walked, he had a converged aura, but it was enough to make everyone

present bow their heads without realizing it.

Turning around and slowly taking his seat, Mr. X surveyed the room and

said in a deep voice, "Let's begin."

He's within four meters... Klein wasn't in a rush to take

action. He retracted his gaze and patiently watched as a few gathering

members exchanged information about people with abnormal luck for money.

Occasionally, Mr. X would reply.

Time ticked by as the gathering's focus went from Mr. X's act of handing

out rewards to the transactions between the members. Klein didn't

hesitate as he tapped his left thumb on the first segment of his index

finger twice, activating his Spirit Body Threads vision.

Illusory black threads immediately surfaced before his eyes as they

emanated from the bodies of different people, out into the void towards

some boundless distance.

After making a simple distinction of the threads, Klein began to

secretly control Mr. X's Spirit Body Threads.

There were two difficulties to this mission according to his plan. The

first was that having Astrologer as one of the earlier jobs in his

pathway, Mr. X or the other hidden Aurora Order Saint might be able to

sense the danger when he began controlling the Spirit Body Threads,

acutely sensing some abnormality.

Klein wasn't sure about Mr. X's spiritual intuition because back when

Miss Sharron existed in a Wraith state, she failed to notice

Marionettist Rosago's controlling of her Spirit Body Threads. However,

for a Saint who was a demigod, a High-Sequence Beyonder who had obtained

godhood, no special trait of this being would surprise Klein. It wasn't

surprising if that being's spiritual intuition was triggered due to the

changes in another person's Spirit Body Threads.

For other Marionettist, they were probably helpless regarding this. But

Klein was different. He had another identity as The Fool. He had the

powers of the mysterious space above the gray fog to aid him, allowing

him to rely on Paper Angels to produce interference and eliminate any

hidden problems.

The gathering continued without any abnormalities. More than ten seconds

passed as Klein was close to gaining initial control of Mr. X. There was

only three seconds left, but this Aurora Order Oracle didn't notice at

all. He continued observing the completion of another transaction with a

deep look in his eyes, his thoughts a mystery.

At the critical moment, Klein stopped!

He barely maintained his progress as he extended his hand, reaching into

the pocket of the hooded robe and touching the iron cigar case which had

been sealed with a wall of spirituality.

Klein moved his fingers, prodding it gently to remove the wall of

spirituality, allowing it to disperse into a swirling wind inside his

pocket.

He pulled back his palm and waited for a few more seconds until Mr. X's

gaze looked to the side before he continued controlling the Spirit Body

Threads.

Two seconds. One second. Zero!

Mr. X's thoughts turned sluggish as though someone had poured stirred

cement onto him.

An enemy... Danger... Slow thoughts appeared in his head as he

quickly made his decision. He planned on seeking help from his

subordinates and the entity who was watching in secret, and put up an

effective resistance.

At this moment, coldness drilled into his body, preventing his limbs and

mouth from answering his will.

Admiral of Blood Senor!

A Wraith's possession!

There were many flaws to a Marionettist's control of Spirit Body

Threads. The biggest problem was the target immediately realizing that

there was a problem once initial control was attained. They would then

have the ability to carry out any contingencies.

If it was one-on-one, without anyone around them, Klein could naturally

use the target's increasingly impeded state to effectively disrupt and

interfere with any resistance they put up, but if the target had any

aides, it was very difficult for a Marionettist's control to fool

others. It required help from the environment, or partners to conceal

the matter without exposing it.

And on this point, a Wraith who was able to possess a target and

forcefully control them was the best support for a Marionettist!

The reason why Klein didn't directly enter a state of initial control

was because he needed to release the Wraith.

After the initial inspection at the door, the vigilance in the activity

room at the gathering location was definitely lower!

Mr. X's eyes widened as his thoughts turned sluggish. His instinctive

attempt to shout was blocked by his throat and mouth, silencing him

completely.

His attempt to raise his hands also slowed down as they reached for a

porcelain teacup by his side.

This completely violated his will. It was because of the cold aura that

occupied every corner of his body!

*Wraith... Marionettist... No... If this continues... I'll die

silently...* Mr. X immediately controlled his spirituality as he

constructed complicated symbols and labels in his mind.

He was just about to open a Traveler's Door, which was also the Door of

Teleportation, to escape the Marionettist's control range. Compared to

that, a Wraith's possession was relatively less dangerous!

But amidst his sluggish thoughts, the illusory symbols and labels failed

to appear all at once. Instead, they appeared one stroke after another

in a discontinuous matter and at an insufficient speed.

Seizing this opportunity, Wraith Senor, who was possessing Mr. X, under

Marionettist Klein's control, simply moved Mr. X's head, changing his

seating position.

Such an action instantly interrupted the formation of the Traveler's

Door!

*Oh no... My... reaction... is too slow... It will be... interfered...

by the Wraith... Use mystical... item...* Mr. X's eyes filled

with blood, but none of his subordinates around him noticed it. Even the

one watching in secret didn't notice any abnormalities.

As for the gathering members who were interacting and trading, they

lowered their voices because of his change in seating posture.

At that moment, the activity room was filled with people. Although there

were Beyonders everywhere and many were his assistants, Mr. X found

himself in extreme solitude and was helpless.

He didn't even know who was attacking him or where the attacker was

sitting!

As the thoughts went through his mind, Mr. X regained control of his

spirituality as he directed it towards the golden ring with an embedded

ruby on his left index finger.

However, going from a thought to a decision, and then going from a

decision to an action took too long. It was as though he was acting out

his thought processes in slow motion.

This gave Senor plenty of time to raise Mr. X's left palm, bend his

finger, and tap the side of "his" forehead which was uncovered by the

brass mask as though in thought.

It was a very faint tapping sound, and the strength used was quite

significant, but under Klein's control, Senor held back perfectly. It

made most of the strength enter Mr. X's mind without spreading outwards

so as to hide any commotion.

Tak! Tak!

Mr. X's thoughts of emanating his spirituality were disrupted, and he

was temporarily unable to find his train of thought.

By the time he recovered, the Marionettist's control had deepened. This

made his thoughts chaotic and impeded. Even his thinking and

decision-making became extremely difficult.

With the Wraith using all kinds of tiny, concealed actions to interfere

with Mr. X's attempts to use his various Beyonder powers and impressive

mystical items, he slowly slid towards the abyss of becoming a

marionette.

He watched helplessly as he marched towards death slowly.

Only then did he realize how terrifying and unsolvable the combination

of a Marionettist and Wraith was.

The hunt continued silently under everyone's noses.

As Klein's control deepened, Mr. X's actions turned stiffer and

sluggish. However, with the Wraith possessing him, no one could notice

any problems.

To be precise, Mr. X's actions were no longer a result of the sluggish

him, but from Wraith Senor. He wasn't even able to show the look of

despair in his eyes.

Amidst the transactions that either succeeded or failed, ranging from

arguments to negotiations, five minutes quickly passed. Klein was just

one last step from killing Mr. X and turning him into his marionette.

However, he couldn't do so.

This was because he had yet to digest much of the Marionettist potion.

He could only control one marionette at present, so if he wanted to

convert Mr. X, he had to give up Wraith Senor.

But once he gave up Senor, this Admiral of Blood who was long dead would

immediately surface and be discovered by everyone. It would bring about

extreme trouble.

Similarly, if Klein didn't give up his Wraith marionette had and

assassinated Mr. X while he wasn't able to resist, he needed to consider

the Aurora Order Saint who was lurking in the shadows.

This was the second most difficult part of his plan.

To silently control Mr. X and remove his ability to resist wasn't

difficult with the combination of Marionettist and Wraith. The way to

kill him wasn't difficult as well. Mr. X in his present state could

easily be finished off by Klein with an Air Bullet.

The difficulty was in leaving safely after pulling off such a stunt.

This actually required sufficient patience.

Time slowly passed with Klein appearing calm despite his tensed nerves.

He pretended that he wasn't interested in the items that appeared as he

kept silent the entire time.

Finally, when the gathering came to an end, Mr. X said in a deep voice

with complete normality, "The end."

His words were succinct, just like the way he ended the previous

gathering. This was what Xio described to Fors.

As the gathering's members stood up one by one, Klein mixed in among

them, looking inconspicuous. At the same time, he reached his hand into

his pocket, and he flipped open Leymano's Travels based on his sense of

touch.